When host Ryan Seacrest told Megan Joy to take a seat on the stools reserved for the bottom three, she strolled to that side of the stage with arms flapping and voice squawking. After that, she encouraged Allison Iraheta to do the same, but the teen had enough sense to just move her arms up and down a tad.

And in the final interview, Joy appeared extremely off-put to be sent home with eight contestants still remaining. Yeah, OK, different strokes for different folks. And the dismissal must carve into your ego and leave one humongous hurt. But her denial that her time had deservedly come made me actually glad when the tears finally came.

By the way, America's got me a little worried with its placement of Iraheta in the bottom three again. I judge her to be one of the best, final-three material with Adam Lambert and a singer to be named after I watch the next month's competition.